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Rose Shortbread Cookies #SundaySupper

The theme for today’s #SundaySupper is Mom’s Favorite Recipes. My mom doesn’t really like to cook and definitely doesn’t like to bake. But she’s my biggest fan, loves all my pastries and brags about my cake business all the time. These Rose Shortbread Cookies are the perfect Mother’s Day flowers for my mom.

I’ve posted a number of shortbread recipes since starting this blog. For the holidays I made gift boxes with with an assortment of delicious shortbread squares with various toppings. I recently posted one of my favorite shortbread recipes with lemon curd filling. This just goes to show the versatility of shortbread. It’s perfect as a simple cookie and as a base for a myriad of other cookies recipes.

These Rose Shortbread Cookies are so pretty and are perfect for teatime or Mother’s Day. When I baked for a British tea shop I always had these on the menu. The rose on top is made using a cookie stamp. I’ve had this stamp for many years and there are lots of designs available. I found a design pretty close to mine here .

I honestly can’t remember how I came up with the method for painting the roses with tinted egg whites. I started making these cookies way back before there was an internet. Yes kids, it’s true, there was a time when we had to find recipes in a book or magazine! I’d like to think that I just invented the idea in a flash of inspiration, but I probably found a similar technique in an old cook book or maybe in the packaging for the stamp.

The main key to making the “paint” is to let the egg white age at least a day before painting the cookies. As egg whites age they liquify, making it easier to paint on the cookies without globbing up (that’s a technical pastry term). Scoop the foam from the surface with a spoon and you’ll have a nice clear paint that’s easy to brush onto the cookies.

I flavor these cookies with a hint of rosewater to complete the theme. I’ve found that the strength of rose water can vary pretty widely so I suggest putting in the lesser amount listed in the recipe, then taste the dough to see if you want more. I love the flavor of rosewater, but a little goes along way.

How to make egg white “paint”

This next section is for all you baking nerds! If you prefer to just follow the recipe and aren’t interested in the hows and whys, just skip to the recipe and go for it. If you’re into the hows and whys of recipe development, keep reading.

I’ve made some specific ingredient choices to get these cookies as I wanted them. Keeping the rose pattern intact and attractive was my main challenge for this cookie. If the cookies puff up and crackle in the oven then you can’t tell it’s a rose on top, and the whole effect is lost.

First off, I use cake flour rather than all purpose flour. Cake flour is slightly acidic. Acidic foods don’t brown very well. I like a paler cookie to really show off the colors of the rose. During baking a more acidic dough will set faster than a more alkaline dough. Which is good, because the rose pattern will set before it has time to become distorted.

I also switched the sugar in the dough from granulated to powdered sugar. If you do much baking you’re probably very familiar with the “cream the butter and sugar” step. During the creaming process granulated sugar crystals cut through and aerate the butter. The air pockets expand in the oven giving rise to the cake or cookie. But that’s not what I want for this cookie. Rising in the oven would distort the rose pattern. Cookies made with powdered sugar will spread a little more than cookies made with granulated sugar. The finely ground sugar absorbs more moisture which softens the dough. But remember that the acidity of the cake flour does help the dough set faster in the oven, which corrects for any extra spreading caused by using powdered sugar.

Finally, I put the prepared cookies in the refrigerator to chill before baking. I’ve found putting cold cookies in the oven also slows the spreading and puffing of the cookies as they bake.

The day before you want to make the cookies, separate a large egg. Divide the white between 2 small bowls or ramekins. Tint one portion with the red food coloring and tint the other with the green. Cover and store overnight in the refrigerator. This will cause the whites to liquify, making them easier to paint with.

The day you will make the cookies take the whites out of the refrigerator and use a small spoon to scoop away any foam from the surface. Set aside while you make the dough.

Make the Dough

Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a mixer bowl and mix until softened and combined, do not aerate

Add the flour and mix just until the dough comes together.

If the dough is very soft, chill briefly to firm it up.

Assemble the cookies

Preheat the oven to 325°F regular (see note)

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 3/8" thick

Dip the cookie stamp into flour, shake off excess flour and stamp the design all over the dough.

Use a round cookie cutter to cut out each stamp

Line the cookies onto a parchment lined sheet pan, leaving 1/2" between

Re-roll the scraps and continue rolling, stamping and cutting until all the dough is used up.

Use a small artists brush to brush the red egg white onto the rose design of each cookie

Brush the green egg white onto the stem and leaves of each cookie stamp

Thanks to the co-hosts for this week’s #SundaySupper; Christie Campbell of A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventuresand Wendy Leep Hammond ofWholistic Woman. Check out these other fabulous “Mom’s Favorite” recipes from the #SundaySupper tastemakers.

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Baking is an art and a science, but it’s not rocket science. Anyone can bake if they have a good recipe and the helping hand of a seasoned baker. I’m a pastry chef and lifelong baker. I enjoy sharing my well-tested recipes with bakers of every skill level.Read more….

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